view raw text
Bt Wk m I On the Trot I I Br MORRIE KURLANSKT I Aussie Breeder-Owner Pays Visit Operates Modern Up-to-Date Farm Reveals Many Interesting Facts MAYWOOD PARK. Maywood, 111., May 27. — For the last few days the Maywood Park management played host to a couple of of interesting interesting visitors visitors of of interesting interesting visitors visitors from "Down Under," J. A. Jones and his wife. An important business man in Melbourne, Jones is also one of the leading harness breeders in Australia. H i s Glenfern Farm is located at Bangholme, less than 20 miles from the heart of °f Melbourne, Melbourne, and, and, ac- Bt Wk m of °f Melbourne, Melbourne, and, and, ac- according to newspaper clippings and pictures Jones exhibited, it must be one of the most modern and up-to-date breeding establishments to be found anywhere in the world. Glenfern consists of 90 acres of improved land and includes a half mile training track just 100 yards from the stables. This track has an all-weather surface of coarse sand and specially-prepared stone dust. Contrary to general conditions in Australia, there is no water shortage on Jones farm. A huge concrete-lined well with an electric pump provides all the water needs of the farm. Although Jones only in recent years has bred harness horses on a large scale, he availed himself of all the latest inno- j vations and modern equipment to make | Glenfern a model stud. Not only has Glenfern its own blacksmith shop, but also its own horse hospital, which includes the latest apparatus in treating equine ailments. There is, for instance, a special short wave "Inductotherm" to be used to reduce swelling in a horses leg. For transportation of the Glenfern horses to and from different race tracks, Jones has streamlined two-horse "floats," ] as he calls trailers, equipped with every modern convenience, including a tele- t phone with a direct communication between the hauling car and the "float." Twin tandem wheels on each side insure smooth rides for the horses. Jones seems to have a liking for gadgets because all bis training carts and sulkies have speedometers attached to the shafts to record accurately a horses speed. According to Jones, harness racing is a most popular sport in Australia. Night • racing is conducted in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. In some of these cities, harness racing has even outdone its kindred sport, thoroughbred racing, in public favor. Racing in these cities is held on a year-round basis and meetings usually extend to about 40 nights, but since racing is conducted only on Saturdays and holidays, Australians can enjoy harness racing from January to December. The racing associations are non-profit organizations, each with a board of five directors, three of whom are appointed by the government, one by the trotting association and one by the operating association. There is pari-mutuel betting at all meetings and, since book making is legalized in Australia, the public also can bet with bookmakers on and off the tracks. The "take" in Australia amounts to 12 per cent, of which 10 per cent goes to the government as taxes, and two per cent is retained by the association for purses, upkeep of the plant, salaries, and so on. Crowds of more than 20,000 people are no rarity in the big cities, and the mutuel handle averages about 00,000. The greater part of the betting, however, is done with bookmakers, and these figures are not published. The starting gate, as used in this country, is not known in Australia because all races are handicaps, where horses start from different marks. The handicapping of a horse is done on the basis of wins only. A winner of a race in his particular class is moved back 12 yards. All horses are required to win two races at a meeting in the country before they are allowed to start on a metropolitan" race track. Race tracks in Australia are much shorter than in America. The track in Adelaide, for instance, is only %XA furlongs in circumference; the one at Sydney, ZYi furlongs. All are egg-shaped with a stretch of about 50 yards. Best time recorded over these tracks is about 2:10 for a mile. Most races are at the IH miles distance, however. Trainers "down there" receive five per r cent of the purses won by their horses, and i the association pays the trainers directly. When entering a horse for a race, the owner r has to include the drivers fee for a losing l mount, which is about . with the entry 7 slip. Jones and bis wife are currently on a tour of the world. They arrived in this country about two weeks ago and saw their first harness race in this country at Bay Meadows. After taking in the races here, the Joneses will go to New York to study racing at Roosevelt Raceway. Then they will go to Kentucky to visit the lead- i r l 7 — ins breeding farms. It is Jones intention to acquire a stallion in this country for his Glenfern Farm. Since 90 per cent of all races in Australia are for pacers, he naturally would like to get a pacing stallion, preferably a son of the late world * record pacer, Billy Direct 1:55. On account of the prevailing currency restrictions and the dollar shortage of the Dominion, Jones will have to surmount a few difficulties before he can realize his desire of importing a first -class stud prospect to his country. 1 1
